Buttonhole sewing machine



Feb. 19, 1935. F. A. REEcE BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 19312 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnverfior F mnKlin A. Reece byWMaW ATTys Feb. 19, 1935.

F. A, REECE BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Figf24.2

' InvenTor. FmnKlin A. Rejece @MMA/M ATys.

Patented Feb. 19; 1 9135 BU'r'roNnoLE sEWiNG mflloHINE Franklin A.Reese, Brookline, Mass., assignor'to The Reeee Button Hole MachineCompany,

Boston, Masswa corporation of Maine Application october 16, 1931, serialNo. 569,135

14 'claims. (o.`112" 15e)- This invention relates to buttonhole sewingmachines and particularly to them'echanism for giving the needle itslateral jogging movement to cause it to penetrate the work alternatelyat the buttonhole slit and at a distance back from the slit; Forconvenience the thrusts of theneedle through the goods at thebuttonholeslit will be referred to as slit thrusts While the thrusts' of theneedle through the work back from the slit will'be referred to asi'depththrusts. I

When the sewing of the buttonhole is completed each buttonhole stitchwill include a portion of thread extending from a slit thrust to a depththrust. The length of these portions of thread, which is sometimesreferredto as the bight of the buttonhole stitch, is determined by theextent of the lateral jogging movement vwhich the needle has.

In the operation of buttonhole sewing machines it is sometimes desirableto vary the bight of the buttonhole stitch, or, in other words, to varythe amplitude of the joggingmovement of the needle. In some fabries itis important to sew a buttonhole with a Wide bight which .Would beaccomplished by giving the needle'an increased amplitude of joggingmovement, andfor other purposes it inay be desirable to sewthebuttonhole with a narrow bight, which is accomplished by adjustingthe needle-jogging mechanismfso lthat the needle will have adecreasedamplitude of `jogging movement. Moreover, in sewing buttonholesin some fabrios it is desirable that the slit thrusts of the needle forthe stitches on both sides of the buttonhole should be in theexactcenter line of the buttonhole while in sewing buttonholes in someother fabrics, suchfor instance as coarsely woven or knitted fabrics,,itis desirable to so adjust the stitch-forming mechanism that the slit'thrust of the needle will be spaced from thecenter line of thebuttonhole, inwhich case thel two lines of slit thrusts formed when thetwo sides of the buttonhole are sewed will be spaced from each other. i

In prior buttonhole sewing machines withwhich I am familiar the meansfor adjusting the'y amplitude of jogging movement of the needle, or thebight of the stitches, is such that any change in the length of thejogging movement which is made whenthe needle' is set for making itsslit thrusts at any point other than the center line of the buttonholeinvolves also a change in the position of the slit thrusts of the needleand, therefore, in these prior butto'nhole sewing machines if it wasdesired to change'the bight of the buttonhole stitch when the needle isset to make slit thrustsat one side of the center line of the buttonholewithout, however, changing the .position of the slit thrusts oftheneedle it-has been necessary to make two adjustments, that is, first tomake the'adjustment to secure the desiredam- 5 plitude of jogging`movement of the needle and then to make a subsequent adjustment in orderto center, the stitches and bring the line of slit thrusts back to' thedesired or initial position.

One objectof the presentinvention is to provide a novel needle-joggingmechanism Which can be adjusted to vary the amplitude of the joggingmovement ,of the needle without, however, changingjthe position of theslit thrusts regardless of the position of the slit thrusts of theneedle relative to the center line ofV the buttonhole Vso that if achange in the bight of the stitches is desired without any change in theposition of the slit thrusts of the needle a single adjustment is allthat is necessary. r i

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means foradjusting the position of the needle'to enable the slit thrusts to be`madef'at any desired point transversely of the buttonhole slit, whichmeans is independent of the li neans for varying the amplitude ofjogging movement of the needle. v v I In my present invention,therefore, thetwo adjustments, one for varying the amplitude of jogging,movement of the needle and the other for varying the position oftheslit thrusts of the needle, are independent and each adjustment can bemade'without .changing the other adjustment.. Inforder to give'anunderstanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings aselectedembodiment thereof which will now be described after which thenovel features will be pointed out in the appended claims. v Fig. lis aside view ofa portion of a buttonhole sewing machine embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a section on the lin`e 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is asection on the line,3--3, Fig. 2'; Fig. 4 is a View taken at right`angles to Fig. 3; ,v f Figs.` 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showingthefoperation of varyingr the amplitude of jogging i movement of theneedle withoutvaryng the position of the'slit thruststhereof. w I v Thebuttonhole sewing machine ,illustrated in the drawings Vhas the usualwork-holding means `1 by which the work 2 in which the buttonhole is tobe sevied is clamped tothe bed 3 and also the usual buttonhole cutter 90by which f the` buttonhole slit is cut. The stitch-forming mechanism.comprises the usual needle 4 operating from above the work 'and suitableunder thread ,55k

mechanism situated beneath the work and carried by the usual rotaryturret 5.

The needle is mounted in a needle bar 6 which has Vertical reciprocationin the head 7 of a stitch frame 8, the latter being mounted on the bedV3. The needle bar derives its vertical reciprocation from a cam 9mounted on a cam shaft 10, said cam having a cam path ll which receivesa follower 12 carried on the end of a lever 13 situated within the frame8 and pivoted thereto to rock about a center 14, the outer end of thelever being suitably connected to the needle bar as shown at 15.

The needle bar also has a backand forth lateral jogging movement sothatithealternate thrusts, or slit thrusts, will be along the line ofthe buttonhole slit while the other thrusts, or depth thrusts, will bethrough the fabric at a distance back from the slit. The means for thusgiving the needle its joggingmovement are similar in many respects tothat usually employed in sewing machines of this type, anexemplification of v which will be found in the Patent No. `1,437,847,

bar is turned in sewing around the end` of the f buttonhole. The axialopening 18 through the gear is larger than the sleeve 16 so as to permitthe sleeve to be shifted laterally in said opening thereby toaccommodate the necessary lateral jogging movement of the needle..

The sleeve 16 is provided at its lower end with two oppositely-disposedinclined grooves v19 and the gear 17 is provided With two depending ears20, each of which carries a spring-pressed shoe 21 having a toe portion22 which occupies one of the grooves 19.

Means are provided for reciprocating the sleeve 16 in a verticaldirection, and becausev of the engagement of the stationary toes 22 withthe grooves 19 such vertical'r'eciprocation will cause the sleeve andthe needle'bar to be movedback and forth laterally thereby to producethe slit thrusts and the depth thrusts.

' The sleeve 16 derives its vertical reciprocation from a cam member 23mounted on the cam shaft 1'0 and having a cam groove 24 in whichis'received a follower 25 on. a lever 26 pivoted at 27 to the frame 8.The operative connections between the lever 26 and the sleeve 16includes a rocker member 31 which is journalled in the frame 8 and whichis provided with two arms 30 and 32. The arm '30 is connected to thelever 26 through the medium of a fixed-length link 29, the latter beingpivoted at one end lto said lever at 54. The 'other arm 32 of the rockerVmember has a forked portion 33 which embraces the upper end `of thesleeve 16 and is pivotally connected vto trunnions or projections 34extending from a collar 35 mounted onV the sleeve and in which the Vhavewith reference to the center line of the buttonhole depends upon theposition' in a vertical direction which the sleeve 16 occupies when themachine comes to rest'at the completion of a buttonhole cycle or, inother words, it depends upon the initial position in a verticaldirection .of

the sleeve 16. The machine herein shown' has' suitable means, which willbe presently described,

for adjusting the vertical position of the sleeve 16 and therebyadjusting the positioniof the slit f thrusts of the needle.

The cam 2d has a fixed throw and for varying the amplitude of thejogging movement the link 29 is adjustably connected to the arm 30,thisv being the usual practice.

The arm 30 is shown.

and the slot 36 has such a shape that when the machine is at rest withthe needle raised, saidv slot will form the are of a circle struck fromthe pivotal connection 54 as a center., Hence with the parts in thisposition the pivot point 37 may be adjusted longitudinally of the slot36 without changing the position of the arm 30.

The shifting of the pivot point 37 toward the U outer end of 'the slotwill result in decreasing the amplitude of the jogging movement of theneedle or the bight of the stitch 'while vadjustment ofv the pivot pin37 toward the lower end of the vslot 36 Will increase the amplitude ofjogging move-` ment of the needle or the bight of the stitch.

Since this adjustment can be made without changing the position of thearm 30 and conse-f.V

of jogging movement of the needle or the bight of the stitch may beadjusted without producing any change in the position of the slitthrusts,

of the needle, and this is true regardless of the;

position in whichthesit thrusts of the neede 40 are made transversely ofthe buttonhole. This is illustrated in Figs. 'and 6 wherein 38indicatesl the buttonhole slit. In Fig. 5 vis illustrateddiagrammatically a buttonhole in which the slit thrusts of the needleare in line with the buttonhole slit, such slit thrusts .being indicatedat'39. In'lfiig. 6 is 'illustrated diagrammaticallya bute;tonholeinwhich the slit thrusts are situated atf one side of thebuttonhole slit, such slit thrusts;`

being indicated at 54.'

Assuminglthat the'sewing machine is adf justed 4for'makin'g'yvde bightstitches withthey a buttonhole with stitches .having a'narrower bightbut with theslit thrusts of the needle still in the line of thebuttonhole slit, then the piv-v otal connection 37'Will beadjustedftoward the outer end of the slot 36, which will result ,in profducingv the narrow bightV stitches indicated. in dotted lines Fig. 5wherein the depth lthrustsl win be at the points maitama at 52. ..Thisad- I justment, however, does not affect 1in any way the position inwhich the slit thrusts will be made andl they `will still be in the.line of the button*- hole 'slit as indicatedin ldotted lines. Fig. 5,.In` v other words, with the construction 'above ldescribed the change inthe amplitude 'of the jogging Amovement of theneedleQwhether such changeisan increase lor a decreasejoccurs en-v tirely on one end of saidmovement,'that is, on theY similarly, if it is assumed that .the'sewing75'" depth thrust end thereof.

chine is ladjusted for making a wide bight' stitch but .with the slitthrusts of the needle at one side of the buttonhcle slit as shown infull lines Fig; 6 wherein the slit thrusts are indicated at 54 and the.depth thrusts at 55, then the shifting of the connection 37 in theslot36. to make'the narrow bight stitches shown .in dotted lines Fig. 6 willcause the thrusts of the .needleto be made as shown by dotted lines Fig.6, that is, the slit thrusts, indicated at 56, will stillbe made in thesame position as the slit thrusts 54v of the wider bightstitch' butthedepth thrusts'will ,be made at points indicated at 57 which are. nearerthe buttonhcle slit than the depth thrusts 55 for the wide bight stitch.`In otherwords, the adjustment of the link 37 in the slot 36 forchanging the bight of the stitch` does not produce any change in theposition of the slitv thrusts of the needleand the change in the bightoccurs at one end only of the stitch, that is, the depth thrust end. i

The means herein shown for adjusting the position of the needle to varythe position of the slit thrusts thereof relative to the buttonhcle slitcomprises an adjustable connection between the rocker 31 and the armBObymeans of which the relation betweenV the two arnis 30 and'f32 may bevaried. i v i The rocker member 31 is provided with the two cylindricalbearingportions 42, 43 which find bearing'in the two sides Vof the frame8. The bearing portion 43 extends beyond the frame and the arm 30 isprovided with a split hub portion 44 which encircles the projectingbearingportion- 43. The split portion of the hub 44 is provided with aclamping screw 45v by which the hub may be firmly clamped to the bearingportion 43. The bearing portion 43 is provided with a projection 46through which is threaded anV adjusting screw 47 which is confinedbetween and the ends of which bear against two lugs 48 carried by thearm 30. This screw is provided' with a flat sided head portion 49 bywhich it may be turned and with a lock nut 56 for locking it in anyadjusted position. Theturning of the adjusting screw 47 will serveitoturn the rocker member in the arm 30 thereby shiftingthe position of thearm 32 up or down with relation to the arm 30. Such up or down adjustingmovement of the arm 32 with relation to the arm 30 will shift the sleeve16 up or down correspondingly and thereby Vshift the needle laterally.This adjustment, however, does not produce any change in the amplitude4of jogging `movement of the needle but merely shifts the position of theneedle bodily thereby shifting the center line of the stitches. This isillustrated in Figs. and 6. Assuming that the machine is adjusted to sewa buttonhcle with wide bight stitches indicated in full lines Fig. 5with the slit thrusts of the needle in the line of the buttonhcle slitthen by properly adjusting the screw 47 the position of the needle maybe shifted so that the slit thrusts will be as indicated at 54 in Fig. 6wherein they are located at one side of the buttonhole slit but thisadjustment doesnot change the amplitude of jogging movement of theneedle and, therefore, the machine will continue to sew the wide bightstitch as shown in full lines Fig. 6.

I claim. I

l. In a buttonhcle sewing machine, the combination with a needle bar anda needle carried thereby, of needle-reciprocating mechanism, a sleevethrough which the needle bar reciprocates, a rocker member connected tothe sleeve for reciprocating it vertically aslvsaid rocker memberoscillatesf` said rocker member having an arm, means toA give the sleevea lateralishifting movement as it` reciprocates,.fcam-actuated meansconnected to said arm for oscillating the rocker member, and means foradjusting vtherelative angular positions of said arm and the connectionof the rocker member to the sleeve.

2. In a buttonhcle sewing machine, the combinationlwith a needle bar anda needle carried thereby, of needle-reciprocatingV mechanism, a'

sleeve through which the needle bar reciprocates, a rocker having twoarms, one of which is connected 'toV said sleeve, means connected to theother arin to oscillate the rocker, and means to lgive the sleeve alateral shifting movement as it sleeve throughwhich the needle barreciprocates, a lrocker member having two arms, one of which isconnected to the sleeve, a cam-actuated lever having a fixed amplitudeof oscillation,'a fixed length link pivotally connected at one end tosaid lever and at the other endl to the other arm of therocker member,the rocking movement of the rocker member shifting the sleevevertically, means to give the ,sleeve a lateral shifting movement'as itmoves vertically thereby to. cause the needle to make slit thrusts anddepth thrusts, the arm of the rocker member to which the link isattached having a slot formed on the aro of a circle lstruclf: from thepivotal connection between said lever and link, said link beingadjustable in said slot, means to` clamp the link tosaid other arm inany adjusted position and means other'than the link to vary thepositions of the slit thrusts with relation to the slit of thebuttonhcle.

4. In a buttonhcle sewing machine, the combination with a needle, ofneedle-reciprocating mechanism, needle-jogging mechanisniby Which theneedle is caused to make alternate slit thrusts and depth thrusts,l saidneedle-jogging mechanismL including a rocker member having two arms andmeans to vary the relativeangular position of said arms, whereby theposition of the depth thrusts and slit thrusts may be changed whilemaintaining a given amplitude of jogging movement. i v

5. In a buttonhcle sewing machine, the coinbination with a needle, ofneedle-reciprocating mechanism, needle-jogging mechanism by whch theneedle is caused to make alternate slit thrusts and depth thrusts, saidneedle-jogging mechanism including a rocker member having two armsadjustable relative to each'other to vary the angular relation thereof,whereby the position of the slit thrusts and depth thrusts may bechanged while maintaining a given amplitude of jogging movement. j

6. In a buttonhcle sewing machine, the combination with anneedle vbarand a needle carried thereby, of needle-reciprocating mechanism, asleeve through which the needle bar reciprocates, a rocker member havingtwo arms, one of which is connected to the sleeve, a cam-actuated leverhaving a fixed amplitude of cscillation, a xedlength link connectingsaidulever to the other arm of the rocker member, and means for ad- Withrespect to each other.

'7-.In a buttonhole sewing machine. the combination with a needle barand a needlel carried lthereby, of needle-reciprocating' mechanism, a

rocker member, a cam-actuated lever having a fixed amplitude ofoscillation,a fixed-length link connecting said lever to said rockermember and by which the rocker member is given a rocking movement, aconnection between the rocker memberl and 'the needle bar by whichrocking movement of the rocker member shifts the needle bar laterallythereby producing slit thrusts and depth thrusts, and means other thaneither the fixed-length link or the connection between'the rocker andthe needle bar to vary the position of the slit thrusts relative to theslit of the buttonhole.

8. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle bar anda needle carried thereby, of needle-reciprocating mechanism,needle-jogging mechanism including a rocker member, a cam-actuated leverhaving a fixed amplitude of oscillation, a fixed-length link connectingsaid lever to the rocker member and connections between said rockermember and said needle bar to cause the needle bar to have a lateraljogging movement as the rocker oscillates thereby to form slit thrustsand depth thrusts,

and means other than either the fixed-length link or the connectionbetween the rocker and the needle bar to vary the position of the slitthrusts relative to the buttonhole slit without changing the amplitudeof jogging movement of the needle.

9. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle vbarand a needle carried thereby, of needle-reciprocating mechanism,needle-jogging mechanism including a rocker member, a cam-actuated leverhaving a. fixed amplitude of oscillation, a fixed-length link connectingsaid lever to the rocker member and connections between said rockermember and said needle bar to cause the needle Vbar to have a lateraljogging movement as the rocker oscillates thereby 'to-form slit thrustsand depth thrusts, and manually-operable means separate from either thelined-length link or the connection between'the rocker and the needlebar to vary the position vof the slit. thrusts relative to thebuttonhole slit without changing the amplitude of jogging movement ofthe needle.

10. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle,` oftneedle-reciprocating mechanism, needle-jogging mechanism by .which theneedle is caused to make alternate slitthrusts and depth thrusts, meansto vary the amplitude of the jogging movement of the needle by eitherincreasing or decreasing said amplitude on vthe depth thrust sideonly ofsaid movement.

11. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the'combination with a needle, ofneedle-reciprocatlng mechanism, needle-jogging mechanism by which theneedle is caused to' make alternate slit thrusts and depth thrusts,means to vary the amplltude of the jogging movement of the needle byeitherV increasing or decreasing said amplitude at` one end only of saidjogging movement, and a ysep-i arate means to adjust the spacing of theslit thrusts on one side of the buttonhole from those on the other sidethereof.

'12. In a buttonhole sewing machine, they combination with a needle, ofneedle-reciprocating mechanism, needle-jogging mechanism by which theneedle is caused to make alternate slit thrusts and depth thrusts, a'single adjusting means independent of any elements that control theamoperative to increase or decrease-to the same extent the spacebetweenthe buttonhole slit andl the slit thrusts on each side of thebuttonhole. 13. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with aneedle, of needle-reciprocating mechanism, needle-jogging mechanism bywhich between the buttonhole slit and the slit thrusts on each side ofthe buttonhole.

14. A buttonhole sewingmachine having workholding means, a' needle,needle-reciprocatingmechanism, needle-jogging mechanism having means tocontrol the amplitude of jogging move- -plitude of jogging movement ofthe needle and ment and by which the needle is caused to .make Ialternate slit thrusts and depth thrusts, means for giving a relativefeeding movement between the work-holding means and the needle, wherebytheneedle makes slit thrusts and depth thrusts on first one side andthen the other of the buttonhole, and means independent Vof theelements* which control the amplitude of jogging movement L of theneedle to vary the space between the slit thrusts on opposite sides ofthe buttonhole.

FRANKLIN A. REECE

